Salvadoran American facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Salvadoran Americans are people living in the United States who have family roots in El Salvador. This includes people born in El Salvador who moved to the U.S., and people born in the U.S. whose parents or grandparents came from El Salvador. They are an important part of the diverse population of the United States.

Who Are Salvadoran Americans?
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Who Are Salvadoran Americans?

Salvadoran Americans are a large and growing group in the United States. Many of them have come to the U.S. seeking new opportunities or safety. They bring with them rich traditions, delicious food, and a strong sense of community.

Where Do Salvadoran Americans Live?

Most Salvadoran Americans live in certain states. California has the largest number, especially in cities like Los Angeles. Other states with many Salvadoran Americans include Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Florida. They often form close-knit communities in these areas.

Why Did Salvadorans Come to the U.S.?

Many Salvadorans came to the United States because of difficult times in their home country. A major reason was the Salvadoran Civil War, which lasted from 1979 to 1992. This war caused a lot of danger and hardship. People left El Salvador to find safety and a better life for their families.

After the war, some people continued to move to the U.S. for economic reasons. They looked for jobs and ways to support their families back home. Natural disasters, like earthquakes and hurricanes, have also caused people to leave El Salvador.

Culture and Contributions

Salvadoran Americans have brought many parts of their culture to the U.S. This includes their language, music, and especially their food.

Language

Most Salvadoran Americans speak Spanish. The way they speak Spanish is a bit different from other countries. For example, they often use a special form of "you" called voseo. This is common in Central American Spanish.

Food

One of the most famous Salvadoran foods is the Pupusa. A pupusa is a thick corn tortilla filled with cheese, beans, or meat. You can find pupuserias (restaurants that sell pupusas) in many U.S. cities. Other popular dishes include yuca frita (fried cassava) and platano frito (fried plantains).

Community and Celebrations

Salvadoran Americans often gather for cultural events and holidays. They celebrate important days like El Salvador's Independence Day. These celebrations help them stay connected to their heritage. They also share their culture with others in the U.S. through parades and festivals.

Many Salvadoran Americans work hard in different jobs. They contribute to the U.S. economy in many ways. They work in construction, services, and many other fields.

Famous Salvadoran Americans

Many people of Salvadoran descent have become well-known in the United States. They have achieved success in various fields, including sports, entertainment, and science.

Allison Iraheta is a singer who became famous on American Idol.
Alicia Nash was a brilliant physicist. She was married to the famous mathematician John Nash.
George Melendez Wright was an important biologist. He helped survey animals for the National Park Service.
J. R. Martinez is an actor and motivational speaker. He was also a U.S. Army soldier.
Francisco Rubio is a NASA astronaut. He is a doctor and a helicopter pilot.
Rosemary Casals is a former professional tennis player.
Carlos Hernández is a retired boxer who became a world champion.
Cristian Roldan is a professional soccer player for Seattle Sounders FC.
Marcelo Arévalo is a professional tennis player.

Images for kids

Salvadoran is the demonym for someone who is from El Salvador
Salvi is the endearing nickname for someone from El Salvador in English speaking countries
El Salvador flag in A Day Without Immigrants March & Rally
Protest against US involvement in the Salvadoran Civil War in Chicago, Illinois, in March 1989
Linguistic variations of classic Central American Spanish, like most countries of the isthmus, Salvadoran Spanish uses voseo.
Salvadoran population in the United States
Salvadoran-American Allison Iraheta performing during the American Idols Live! Tour 2009.
Map of ancient Native American indigenous civilizations of El Salvador
Salvadorans participating in the Fiestas Patrias Parade, South Park, Seattle, Washington
Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Los Angeles, (Nuestros Angeles de El Salvador) dancers from San Salvador, El Salvador, The dancers followed the marching band
Pupuseria La Casita at Nationals Park Stadium for Washington DC's baseball team
Pupusas food cart at the Cartlandia Pod in Portland, Oregon
Pupuseria La Macarena, Central American style restaurant, Hampson Street, Riverbend, New Orleans.
Restaurante Antojitos Salvadoreños – A Salvadoran restaurant in Houston
Pupuseria Divina Corazon Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana
Pupuseria Yireh food truck in Cypress, Texas
Unicomer in Gulfton, Houston, is a multinational retailing group headquartered in San Salvador
Pollo Campero in Gulfton, Houston, is a Salvadoran fast-food restaurant chain
Mi Casita Salvadoreña Restaurant in Van Nuys, California
Salvadoran restaurant on Long Island, New York
La Pupusa Loca Restaurant in Houston, Texas
Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on August 10, 2019
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo participates in a signing ceremony for the CSL Lease Extension with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, in San Salvador, El Salvador, July 21, 2019.
Alicia Nash was a Salvadoran-American physicist. The wife of mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr.
George Melendez Wright was an American biologist who conducted the first scientific survey of fauna for the National Park Service
Consuelo de Saint Exupéry, officially Consuelo Suncín, comtesse de Saint Exupéry was a writer and artist, and the wife of the French aristocrat, writer and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Maribel Arrieta was a former ambassador and a Salvadoran beauty queen where she represented her country at Miss Universe 1955 in Long Beach, California. She studied design in Los Angeles, California
McLeod Bethel-Thompson is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Sacramento State.
Marcelo Arévalo is a professional tennis player that will be making his World TeamTennis debut in 2020 and will be joining the Washington Kastles when the WTT season begins July 12. at The Greenbrier
Dustin Corea is a Salvadoran international footballer who plays for FC Edmonton.
Cristian Roldan is an American professional soccer player, who currently plays as a midfielder for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer
Steve Purdy is a Salvadoran American footballer who plays as a defender for Orange County Blues in the USL. He has played for the El Salvador national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2011 and 2013
Richard Menjívar is a Salvadoran international footballer currently playing for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.
Darwin Cerén is a Salvadoran footballer who plays for the Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes and is captain of the El Salvador national team
Arturo Álvarez (footballer, born 1985) is a Salvadoran American footballer who plays as a winger and forward for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire
Andrés Flores is a Salvadoran professional footballer, who plays for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.
Walmer Martinez, professional footballer who plays for USL Championship club Hartford Athletic
Edwin Miranda grew up in Los Angeles, California and played four years of college soccer at Cal State-Northridge, where he was twice named Big West Conference Defender of the Year.
Rosemary Casals is a former American professional tennis player.
Carlos Hernández (boxer) is a retired boxer. He made boxing history by becoming the IBF super featherweight champion. The documentary More than Famous follows his story
Monica Lewinsky's father Bernard Lewinsky was born in San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America
Francisco Rubio (astronaut) is a NASA astronaut candidate of the class of 2017 and a Battalion surgeon.He served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and was deployed to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq
J. R. Martinez is an American actor, motivational speaker and former U.S. Army soldier. Starting in 2008, he played the role of Brot Monroe on the ABC daytime drama All My Children. He is the winner of Season 13 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. Martinez served as the Grand Marshal of the 2012 Rose Parade. He is currently costarring on the syndicated action series SAF3.
Markos Moulitsas is a Salvadoran American that served in the U.S. Army from 1989 through 1992. He is the founder and publisher of Daily Kos, a blog focusing on liberal and Democratic Party politics in the United States. He co-founded SB Nation, a collection of sports blogs, which is now a part of Vox Media